The Reflections LP Cover

[captainjames]

When I look at the original "Reflections" LP cover I still don't get a lot of the rumors that were circulated because the Original cover had pics of Cindy and Flo. Was this just a flaw and someone caught it before it was actually released ?

[BigAl]

I'm not certain, but I don't believe that cover ever hit the stores. It appeared as a thumbnail alongside a handful of other album cover thumbnails on singles sleeves in 1967-68.

My copy of the album cover, however had a second back-side applied over top of the first one, which I could see underneath, so I carefully steamed off the top layer to see what it was. The only difference I could discern was the configuration of the type, and several insignificant words in Diane's liner notes had been changed. Nobody else I know had a cover like that so I don't know what that was all about. All the same, my front cover is the one with which we're all familiar, with no pix of Flo.

[Jimi LaLumia]

when the realization came that the album would be in the racks as Flo was gone, they made the business decision to stick Cindy in there, as as reflection of the Supremes new reality..

[BigAl]

A close look at the thumbnail shows pix of both Florence and Cindy, which would have been confusing to many folks, even if both gals were represented vocally. I can only wonder what the designers were thinking. At any rate, they obviously decided it ultimately wasn't a good idea and pulled it, or never had it manufactured to begin with, other than in-house, and as I mentioned, I don't believe it ever hit the stores. I don't know of anyone who has actually seen it for real.

[captainjames]

Thanks Al,
that is all a see is one pic actually that I can make out as Flo and the rest of Cindy. I think someone at Motown caught it and said pull Flo's pic and add Cindy.


A close look at the thumbnail shows pix of both Florence and Cindy, which would have been confusing to many folks, even if both gals were represented vocally. I can only wonder what the designers were thinking. At any rate, they obviously decided it ultimately wasn't a good idea and pulled it, or never had it manufactured to begin with, other than in-house, and as I mentioned, I don't believe it ever hit the stores. I don't know of anyone who has actually seen it for real.

[BigAl]

Florence appeared in three of the photos in that thumbnail.

[captainjames]

you may be right the pic is not that good.. I only noticed here in the top right hand corner.


Florence appeared in three of the photos in that thumbnail.

[longtimefan]

The unanswered question will always be: Was the cover shown in the thumbnail with both Florence and Cindy a careless error? Or, at first did they think it might be interesting to picture both????? We will never know.

I also have the LP with the back pasted over. It's an odd coincidence that both the front and back covers of this album had alterations.

I wonder was Berry thought about all of this? He was [[thankfully) a perfectionist when it came to The Supremes' image.

[bradsupremes]

Most likely the designers were unsure if Flo was gone for good or if she would be coming back. A lack of communication within the company is probably why. I assume the design was created with both until they were completely sure which lady was going to be in the group.

[captainjames]

I'm sorry I think when the design was made the person responsible grabbed pics without realizing Flo was here and Cindy was there and when it finally got to Quality for finally release someone caught it.

I always thought Cream of the crop should of had Flo on the cover as well.


Most likely the designers were unsure if Flo was gone for good or if she would be coming back. A lack of communication within the company is probably why. I assume the design was created with both until they were completely sure which lady was going to be in the group.

[daviddh]

I think the plan , originally ,was the Reflections single was going to be on the HIts lp, and to bring Flo back for a farewell tour as Motown felt the Supremes would never recover the loss of Ballard and HDH. Ross would then go solo.
Ross decided to stay until her contract was up ,mostly ,out of loyalty for Mary Wilson.
the lp Reflections was released in 1968 , about 6 months after Ballard was officially gone

[daviddh]

perhaps the original lp cover had Florence on the cover......as I'm sure the lp was ready to go months earlier

[kenneth]

I'm not certain, but I don't believe that cover ever hit the stores. It appeared as a thumbnail alongside a handful of other album cover thumbnails on singles sleeves in 1967-68.

My copy of the album cover, however had a second back-side applied over top of the first one, which I could see underneath, so I carefully steamed off the top layer to see what it was. The only difference I could discern was the configuration of the type, and several insignificant words in Diane's liner notes had been changed. Nobody else I know had a cover like that so I don't know what that was all about. All the same, my front cover is the one with which we're all familiar, with no pix of Flo.

I have the paste over back cover edition as well. Though I haven't examined it in a long time, and I never peeled it off, I could never find a difference in the words which came through the white paste over.

[captainjames]

My only point with this is the Original or supposedly the original cover has four Supremes on it....Diana, Flo, Cindy and Mary. The release LP has three Supremes ... Diana, Mary and Cindy. How and why would Motown do an album cover with four Supremes ? Who $#$^&% UP ??

[reese]

When I was a kid and saw the REFLECTIONS album cover on one of those inner album sleeves, I used to think that the top photo was of Florence and the girls. It wasn't, but at the time, I didn't think it was strange. I just figured that Motown was keeping with the REFLECTIONS theme, and showing some old, some new.

Maybe the sleeve that was shown on the 45 was "reflecting" this in the initial planning stages, but they decided it didn't make sense. Especially since by the time the album was finally released [[March 1968), Flo was long gone.

It wasn't until I actually saw the album in a store that I found out the top photo was of Cindy and the girls.

[thommg]

Perhaps the cover was already completed with Flo and was in the process of being changed to Cindy when it needed to be included on the 45 sleeve. Maybe they figured no one would notice since it was so small and Flo and Cindy had a similar look, so it was included with only half the photos changed. Maybe Motown never counted on the fans noticing the difference....!

[captainjames]

Reese and Thommg those both make sense.

[BigAl]

Perhaps the cover was already completed with Flo and was in the process of being changed to Cindy when it needed to be included on the 45 sleeve. Maybe they figured no one would notice since it was so small and Flo and Cindy had a similar look, so it was included with only half the photos changed. Maybe Motown never counted on the fans noticing the difference....!

This seems the most likely scenario. Even those generic 45 sleeves had to be printed and ready, and probably long before the albums pictured were released. There was probably a lot of uncertainty during that time as to whether Flo would be canned for good or not so the designer just slugged in pix of both gals for the preliminary design which then got thumbnailed on the 45 sleeves, thus making it easier to replace a couple of pix of one or the other when a decision was finally made. It would be a small matter to do that. And I'm sure it's also likely that the folks at Hitsville probably didn't think anyone would notice because the image was so tiny. How they underestimated us!

[ejluther]

I also wondered if it wasn't because things got so bad with Flo near the end - the original plan could have been to make a bigger deal about her leaving and bringing Cindy in but then things got uglier and who knew if Flo would even show up and play along? So instead we get a much quieter switch and it appears they hope no one would really notice and/or care? Just a theory...